Age, Lifestyle, and Self-Perceptions of Hair: Is There an Association with Hair Diameter and Tensile Properties?

The study, involving 110 Caucasian females aged 17 to 78 with brown hair, explored the effects of age, lifestyle, and self-perception on hair diameter and tensile properties. Results showed that hair fiber diameter and break extension decreased with age, while hair fiber elastic modulus and Savin hair loss scores increased, particularly after age 40. Smoking and being overweight were linked to a smaller hair cross-sectional area but did not affect tensile properties. Self-perception of hair as fine, thinning, or weak was associated with a lower cross-sectional area, whereas perceptions of hair as healthy or strong correlated with a larger cross-sectional area. The study suggests that hair biophysical properties change with age and that lifestyle choices and self-perception are related to hair cross-sectional area rather than tensile strength. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and using products that increase fiber diameter may help mitigate hair aging signs. The study also provided visual data through figures showing the regression of hair cross-sectional area with age and the differences in hair characteristics between different lifestyle groups.